SOLDIERS' FUNDS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1928, Page 4

SOLDIERS' FUNDS

MILLION STERLING IN HAND,

WELLINGTON, Aug. 23. Sixty-five registered war funds still exist in the Dominion, according to the annual report of the Internal Affairs Department. They hold between them over a million sterling, of which CO per cent is in liquid assets, available for relief, the balance being included in land and buildings and loans to soldiers. A greatly increased numlwr of applications for relief were received and the National War Funds Council distributed £3OOO and the Canteen and Regimental Trust Funds Hoard £-1500.

In the case of a majority of patriotic societies the periodical returns required to be rendered to the Department have been submitted promptly, and these, together with their annual reports, disclose that although it is now nearly ten years since the Armistice was signed the number of applications for assistance has decreased but little, and cases become more difficult as disabilities manifest themselves in men who were discharged as physically fit. ft is, therefore, apparent that there- will he still as great a need for funds to assist necessitous ex-soUliers for some years to come and the policy of the trustees in most eases to l conserve' funds in their control for such future needs has been fully justified. Details of available funds are:— £ Thirty incorporated societies 832,247 Nine Red Cross organisations 140,251 Three blind soldiers and veterans’ homes fund 1 57,197 Eleven unincorporated societies 3,777 Three memorial funds 38 One Navy League fund 5,739 Five returned soldiers’ clubs 21,754 Three social funds 2,188 Total £1,003,191 National War Funds Council £100,290 It is pointed out that as the funds of the smaller organisations become exhausted their responsibilities arc taken over by an adjacent provincial society or bv tbe National War Funds Council, and tbe tendency is towards administration of war funds work to lie centred in the stronger provincial organisations, with sub-committees in local centres.